Infant restraining device



Sept.A l, 1953 L. MOORE ETAL INFANT RESTRAINING DEVICE Filed aarcn 171952 L eroy Moore Dorothy S. Moore IN VEN TORS Patented Sept. l, 1953INFANT RESTRAININ G DEVICE Leroy Moore and Dorothy S. Moore, J wckson,Miss.

Application March 17, 1952, Serial No. 276,998

1 claim. l

This invention relates to an infant restraining device for limiting themovement of an infants legs.

Once an infant has learned to Walk, he is no longer satisfied in havinghis movements restrained and begins to dislike being placed in a playpen or crib. Inasmuch as a childs desire for freedom is the `same as anadult, he soon begins to try climbing out of the play pen or crib inwhich he is confined. A child will soon learn that by lifting his legshigh enough that he will be able to move himself over the upper rail ofthe play pen or crib in which he is placed. However, a small child isunable to cope with the situation once he has obtained the top of therail and normally falls out of the bed on his head or face therebyhurting himself. It is, therefore, desirous to provide a suitablerestraining means for infants which would permit normal movement oftheir legs and at the same time prevent one leg from being raisedsuiiiciently to permit the child to climb over the rail of a play pen orcrib.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved infantrestraining device which will permit normal movement of the infants legsso as to permit walking and at the same time restraining the infant fromraising one of his legs above the other suiiiciently to climb over arail of a play pen or crib in which he is confined.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved infantrestraining device which will restrain an infant from a climbing withoutexposing the infant to injury due to the utilization of the device.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved infantrestraining device for attachment to the ankles of the infant in orderto restrain the same from climbing, said device being of simpleconstruction and formed of inexpensive materials whereby it iseconomically feasible.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved infantrestraining device which is formed of flexible materials whereby it maybe conveniently packaged for shipment and display.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved infantrestraining device for attachment to the angles of an infant, saidrestraining device including straps adapted to encircle the ankles of aninfant, said strips being adjustable whereby said device may be utilizedon infants of various sizes.

With these objects definitely in view, this invention resides in certainnovel features of con- (Cl. 12S-134) struction, combination andarrangement of elements and portions as will be hereinafter described indetail in the specification, particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form amaterial part of this application and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an infant standing in a conventionalplay pen, the infant having secured to his ankles opposite ends of theimproved infant restraining device which is the subject of thisinvention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the lower portion ofan infants legs and including the ankles and feet thereof, the ankles ofthe infant having secured thereto the infant restraining device, theinfants legs being placed closely together and a flexible linkconnecting the strap ends of the restraining device being shown incontracted position;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the infant restraining device of Figure 2and shows the general construction thereof, one of the straps at theends of the restraining device being shown fastened to form a loo-p andthe other strap being illustrated as being unfastened; and

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the infant restraining device ofFigure 3 and showing the general construction thereof.

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical elementsand portions throughout the specification and throughout the: differentviews of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there isillustrated in Figures 3 and 4 the improved infant restraining device,which is the subject of this invention, the rest-raining device beingreferred to in general by the reference numeral I0. The infantrestraining device I0 includes a central elastic link I2 formed of a.length of conventional elastic tape. Secured to the opposite ends of theelastic link I2 are straps i4 and I6, the straps being identical andadapted to engage opposite legs of an infant.

Inasmuch as the straps III and I6 are identical, only the strap I6 willbe explained in detail. The strap I6 is formed of a length ofconventional belting or plastic strip I8 which is doubled upon itself toform a loop. One end of the belting I8 is provided with a plurality ofsocket grippers 20 in longitudinal alignment and the other end of thebelting I 8 is provided with a plurality of stud grippers 22 which arecomplementary to the socket grippers 20. It will be understood that thegripper elements 20 and around the ankle of the infant and selectivegrip elements snapped into engagement.

In order that the elastic link I2 may be firmly secured to the strap I6,one end of the strap I6 is overlapped at one end of the elastic link I2'and the two secured together by one of .the-stud grippers 22. While theelastic link I2 has been illustrated and described as being .secured tothe strap I6 by a stud gripper 22, it will be readily apparent that ifso desired that end of the .elastic link I2 may be secured to the end ofthe belting EB to which the socket grippers 20 aie secured.

and fastened thereto by the end socket gripper 20. As is bestillustrated in Figure 2, when it is desired to restrain the movement ofan infants leg, the strap la is secured to the ankle of the lef-t 'leg24 of the infant and the strap I6 is secured to the right leg 26. The4length of the elastic link I2 is such to permit normal Walking of theinfant and at the same time prevent one of the legs of the infant frombeing raised above the other -a suilicient amount to permit the infantto climb. While the straps I4 and I6 have been associated with speciclegs of the infant, it will be understood that they may be reversed.

Referring now to Figure 1, it will be seen that there is illustrated aconventional play pen having a bottom 28 and side vrails 3E). Standingon the bottom 2S is a small child .or infant who is in the walking stageand has been placed in the play pen to prevent him from leaving adesignated area While the mother is busy with other duties. The infantis of such size where he is Walking and is naturally `desirous ofclimbing out `of the play pen and joining his mother or straying off toother parts of the house. Normally the in.- fant will attempt to climb.over the side rail A(il) and having reached the top thereof will losehis balance and fall either out lof the play pen or back into the sameand thereby injuring himself. The infant illustrated in the play pen hashis legs connected together by the infant restraining device I0, whichis the subject of this invention, and is allowed to Walk although thelifting one leg only is restrained. With his legs so restrained, theinfant is prevented from climbing up to the top of the side rail 30 ofthe play pen and therefore cannot possibly escape from the same.However, the infant restraining device I0 permits freedom of the 'legsand he is in no way uncomfortable.

The operation of this device will be understood 'from the foregoingdescription of the details therecf,-taken in connection with the aboverecited obiects and drawings. Further description would appear to beunnecessary.

Minor modifications of the device, varying in minor details from theembodiment of the device illustrated and described here, m-ay beresorted to Without departure from the spirit and scope of thisinvention, as defined in the appended claim.l

Hav-ing described the inventan, Vwhat is claimed as new is:

An infant restraining-device comprising a pair of individual strapsadapted to engage an infants ankles, said straps being detachablyconnected by a separate elastic link, said elastic link beingoi' aAlength to permit Walking and at the same time to discourage climbing,Vsaid straps having adjustable fastening means for accommodating varioussize infants, said fastening means in cluding a plurality of gripperstuds at one end cf each strap and complementary gripper sockets at theother end of each strap, said elastic link having gripper sockets at itsends engaging said gripper studs to removably secure said elastic linkto said straps.

LEROY MOORE.

DOROTHY S. MOORE.

References .Cited in the fue of .this patent UNITED ,STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 1,636,101 McLallen July 19, 1927 2,093,744 Tuckey Sept.21, 1937 2,425,489 Peterson Aug. 12, 1947

